Article transfer mechanism



Feb. 21, 1933. c. K. HurcHlNsoN E1' AL 1,893,449

ARTICLE TRANSFER MECHANISH Filed Dec. 2. 1929- 5 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 21, 1933.4

c c. K. HUTcHlNsoN ET AL ARTICLE TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 2, 192.9

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 21, 1933. o. c. K. HUTCHINSON ET AL 1,898,449

ARTICLE TRANSFER MECHNISM Filed Dec. 2, 1929 5 Sheeis-Sheet 3 Febo 21, 1933. o. cfK. HUTcHlNsoN ET AL ARTICLE TRANSFER MECHANI SM 5 syriens-sheet Filed Deo. 2, 1929 n 11.# mv 9 y 99 9 9 u 7 lill l 0 I lw U nf k 4 Mk1 /r im T M 2 6 www! m a 1J... 6! d: r wa i MM d J 2D ,./M M

o. c. K. HuTcHlNsoN ETAL 1,898,449

Feb. 21, 1933.

ARTICLE TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 2, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 21, 1933 lUNITED STATES PnTENr-,OFFICE OLIVER C. K. HUTCIIINSON AND 'WILLARD C. GILLH'IAM, OF ALTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS .TO OWENS-ILLINOIS GLASS COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION F OHIO ARTICLE TRANSFER MECHANISM Application led December 2, 1929. Serial No. 411,006.

Our invention relates to mechanism for taking bottles or other articles from the molds of a forming machine and transferherein shown is adapted for use with a glass blowing machine of the type in which the bottles or other blown articles are discharged from the finishing molds while the latter are` Atraveling and are in a downwardly and out- Wardly inclined position, the particular machine shown in the drawings being an Owens type of suction gathering machine. The invention, however, may be used with various other types of machines.

An object of the invention is to provide transfer mechanism of the character indicated which will handle the glass articles-in a gentle manner to prevent scratching, marring or distortion of the articles which are in a comparatively soft and plastic condition at the time they are discharged from the molds.

A further object of the invention is to provide suitable mechanism adapted to take articles from the traveling molds of a machinesuch as indicated, while the molds are in an inclined position, and place them in an upright position on a stationary support, traveling conveyor, or other receiving device.

A feature of the invention consists in providing a transfer mechanism in which the article holding means or gripping aws with the article held therein have imparted thereto a movement relative to the mold carriage which, at the moment the article is released, is in a direction and at a speed `to counteract or compensate for the forward movement of the mold carriage, so that the article is practically stationary at the instant it is released from the gripping jaws or holding means.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a bottle blowing machine including a finishing mold and its carrying frame, and a bottle transfer apparatus mounted on said frame:

Fig. 2 is a top view of parts shown in Fig. l, looking in a direction perpendicular to the inclined plane of the mold carriage.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the same, looking in a direction parallel with the plane of the mold carriage.

F ig. 4 is a sectional view showing the main rock shaft of the transfer mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a top view of the stationary cams controlling the movements of the transfer mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a section at the line VI--VI on Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of the upper portion of the mam rock shaft and appurtenant parts.

Fig. 8 is an elevation view of the parts shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 8, looking in a direction at right angles to that of Fig. 8.

Figs. l0 to 14, inclusive, are detail views of the article gripping or holding mechanisrn. Fig. 10 is a plan-view, and Fig. 11 an'. elevation of such mechanism. Fig. 12 is a sectional plan as indicated by the line XII-XII on Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is an end elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 11, parts being shown in section and parts broken away. Fig. 14 is a 'view of the parts shown in Fig. 13, but with the gripping aws in open position.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the finishing mold carriage of an article forming machine, showing several of the finishing molds and associated transfer devices.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 15 of the accompanying drawings, the transfer mechanisms are carried on brackets 21 removably attached by means of bolts 23 to the finishing mold frames 22v of a bottle forming machine. This machine is of the molds thereon can be swung from a horizontal position to the downwardly and outwardly inclined position shown in Fig. l.

Each finishing mold as shown comprises a pair of separable sections mounted to swing on a hinge pin 26 for opening and closing the mold. The mechanism for opening and closing the mold comprises a pair of levers 27 pivotally connected at 28 and connected through links 29 to the mold sections. The levers 27 have operating connishing molds and are identical in construction. Each transfer device comprises in general a main rock shaft 35 (Fig. 4) which is tubular and mounted to oscillate iii the casing 36, a bearing bracket 37 secured to the upper end of the rock shaft 35 to rock therewith, a frame 50 having a pivotal connection by means of inclined pivot pins 39 with the bracket 37, a rock arm 38 carried on the frame 50, an article gripping device 40 carried at the outer end of the rock arm 38, and cam actuated devices for rocking the shaft 35 and for actuating the gripping device 40.

The tubular rock shaft 35, as shown in Fig. 4, extends lengthwise through the casing 36, the ends of the shaft protruding above and below the casing. A rock arm 42 is secured to the lower end of the shaft 35, said arm comprising a horizontal section extending outward from the shaft and section 42a extending vertically downward therefrom and carrying at its lower end a cam roll 43 which runs on a stationary cam track 44. A cap 45 foiined with an annular flange 46 is secured to the upper end of the casing. An end plate 47 is provided at the lower end of the casing.

The bearing bracket- 37 has a fixed connection with the rock shaft 35 by means of a collar 48 formed integrally with said bracket and mounted on the shaft 35 just above the cap 45. Mounted to swing on the bracket 37 is a frame 50 which is connected to said bracket by means of the pivot pins 39. The swinging' movements of the frame 50 about the axis of the pivots 39 are controlled by a cam plate 5l secured to the casing 36, said plate having a cam surface. 52 on which rims a cam roll 53 carried by an arm 54 secured to the bracket 37. It will be see-n that with this construction, rotation of the rock shaft 35 will cause the cam roll 53 to travel up and down along the cam surface 52, thereby swinging the frame 5() and with it the rock arm 38 about the more or less inclined axis of the pivots 39. rlhe shaft as it rocks, carries with it the bearing bracket 37, and as the axis of the pivots 39 is inclined to the axis of the rock shaft 35, the direction in which the axis of said pivots extends will continually change while the shaft 35 is rotating. This change in direction is transmitted to the rock arm 38 which at the saine time is swinging about the axis of the pivots 39 under the control of the cani The movement imparted to the rock arm 38 by the rotation of the main rock shaft 35, may be considered as a compound movement which is the component of its rotating movement about the axis of the main rock shaft and its swinging movement about the axis of the pivot pins 39, the rate and extent of such swinging movement being determined by the shape of the cam 52. The operation of this mechanism and the purpose of these movements will be more fully explained hereinafter.

The rock arm 38 is adjustable bodily up and down on the frame 5t). To provide for such adjustment, the rock arm is formed with a head 56 mounted for up and down movement on a guide plate formed on the frame 50, said head and plate having a dovetail connection. Adjustment is effected by means of an adjusting screw 58 journaled in thc head 56, said screw engaging threads in plate 57. The screw shaft 58 is formed with a squared head to receive a wrench for rotating the screw and thereby adjusting the arm 38 up or down. The head 56 is slotted at 59, and a clamping bolt 60 serves to clamp the parts in adjusted position.

The article gripping device 40, which is shown in detail in Figs. l() to 14, will now be described. This device comprises a bracket 62 secured to the outer end of the rock arm 38 by means of a bolt 63 wnich extends through said bracket and has a screw threaded engagement with the arm 38. The opening 64 (Fig. 13) through which the clamping bolt extends is elongated to permit adjustment of the gripping device lengthwise of the rock arm.

A pair of horizontally disposed gripper plates 65 are pivotally connected to the bracket 6:2 by pivot pins 66 and 67. The pivot pins 66 extend through bearing lugs formed respectively on the plates 65 and the vertically disposed arm 66Ll of the bracket 62. The pivot pins 67 are connected to bearing lugs at the lower end of an inclined arm 68 of the bracket 62. The plates 65 are formed with bearing lugs 69 and 70 for the pivot pins 67, said lugs being formed with intermeshing gear segments. Gripping jaws 71 are secured to the uiidersurface of the plates 65 by means of clamping bolts 72 which extend through slots 73 in the plates 65 and through slots 74 in the gripping jaws. The slots 73 extend lengthwise of the plates 65, and slots 74 extend in a direction at right angles to the slots 73, thus permitting adjustment of the gripping jaws horizontally in any direction.

The opening and closing movements of the gripping jaws 7l are controlled by a stationary cam formed on the cam track 44 and operating through -the following mechanism.

Extending through the hollow shaft 35 is a spindle 7 5, to the lower end of which is secured the rock arm 76. The outer end of said arm extends downward and carries a cam roll 76a which runs on the upper portion of the cam track 44. Fixed to the upper end of the spindle 75 is a rock arm 77 (see Figs. 8 and 9). The outer end of the arm 77 carries a roll 78 which bears against an arm 79 of a bell crank lever 80, having a pivotal connection 81 with the frame 50. The other arm of the bell crank lever 80 is pivoted to a bearing block 82 rotatably mounted on the end of a rod 83. There is thus provided a universal joint connection between the bell crank and the rod 83 which extends lengthwise through the rock arm 38, the latter being made hollow to accommoda a. said rod.

'1 .ie outer end of the rod 83 is pivoted to an arm 84 (see Figs. 11, 13 and 14) 0n one of the clamping plates 65. A spring 85 (Fig. 8) holds the arm 79 in Contact with the roll 78 and serves to hold the cam roll 7 6 in operative relationv to its cam. It will be noted that the point of contact between the roll 78 and arm 79 is substantiallv in line with the pivots 39, so that rotation of the frame 50 about the axis of the pivots 39 will not interfere with the operating connections between the arms 77 and 79. A spring 86 (Figs. 3 and 6) is connected at one end toa lug 87 formed on the rock arm 76, and its other end is connected to a lug on the rock arm 42. A stop screw 88 is adjustable in the lug 87 and adapted to engage a stop lug 89 formed on the lower side of the rock arm 42. The spring 86 tends to hold .the stop screw 88 against the lug 89 and thereby to hold the two rock arms 42 and 76 in a predetermined position for purposes which appear hereinafter.

As the bottles or other blown articles are in an inclined position during a portion of the time they are held by the gripping jaws 7l, there is a tendency for said articles to swing by gravity to a vertical position, thus tending to twist or move the articles out of position in the gripping jaws. l In order to counteract this tendency, a holding plate or stabilizer 90 is provided to engage the upper surfaces of the articles and cooperate with the jaws 71 to hold the articles in position. The stabilizer 90 is located beneath and eX- tends lengthwise of the plates 65. The under surface of said plate may be provided with longitudinal ribs or corrugations as shown, to assist in holding articles. The stabilizer is carried bv vertical rods 91 which are pivotally connected at their lower ends to the stabilizer and extend upward through lugs 92 and 93 formed on the bracket 62. Adjusting nuts 94 have a screw threaded connection with the rods 91 and are seated on the lugs 92, thus limiting the downward movement of the stabilizer plate. Byrotating the nuts 94, said plate can be adjusted up or down. The stabilizer is yieldingly held in its downward position by springs 96 which bear at their lower ends.

on the adjusting nuts 94, and at their upper ends bear-against adjusting nuts 97 which are screw threaded into the lugs 93. The adjusting nuts 97 provide means for adjusting the tension of the springs 96.

The rotative positions of the rock shaft 35 and spindle 75 (Fig. 4) when out of the influence of the cam 44, are controlled bv a torsion spring 98 connected at its lower end to the rock shaft and at its upper end to a sleeve 99 keyed tc the casing by a pin 100. This spring rotates the rock shaft so as to swing the rock arm 38 and gripping device 40 awav from the mold to an inoperative position, the limit of this swinging movement being determined by a stop screw 101 (Figs. l, 3 and 6) adjustably mounted in an arm 102 on the casing 36, said stop screw being located in the path of a lug 103 formed on the rock arm 42.

The operation is as follows;

'The mold carriage 24 (Fig. 15) is rotating continuously in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow. Each take-out device is held in its inoperative position eX- cept while under the control of the stationary cam track 44 (Figs. 3 and 5). The rock arms 42 and 76 are at this time (while the rock arm 76 is free from its cam) held in the relative positions shown in full lines (Fig. 6) determined by the stops 88 and 89. As a mold' 25 approaches its bottle discharging position, a corresponding take-out device is brought into operation by engagement of its cam roll 43 with the cam track 44. The roll 43 now runs on the lower inclined section a of the cam track and swings the rock arm 76 outward, thereby rocking the shaft 35 and with it the bearing bracket 37 which carries the frame 50 and the rock arm 38, so that said arm swings inward toward the mold, carrying with it the gripping device 40. This rotative movement of the frame 50 with the rock shaft 35 causes the cam roll 53 carried by said frame to move along the downwardly inclined cam surface 52. The

' direction about the axis of the pivot pins 39 `which connect said trame with the bracket 37. The rock arm 38 is in this manner given a downward swinging movement in addition to its inward rotative movement with the rock shaft 35. The resultant of these movements is such that the gripping device 40 is carried to a position directly over the mold Q5.

During the greater portion of this inward movement ot the transfer' arm, the gripping jaws remain in their open position, shown in Fig. 14, as the cam section b on which the roll 76 runs during this swinging movement does not at this time atleet the arm 76. As the rock arm completes its inward swinging movement, the cam roll 76a engages the cam section c and rocks the arm 7 6 in an outward direction7 bringing the parts to the position shown in broken lines ori Fig. 6. This rocking movement of the arm 76 rocks the spindle 7 5 and causes the rock arm 77 at the upper end thereof to swing outward with respect to the arm 79 (Fig. 8) of the bell crank '80. The bell crank, however, under the influence of the spring 85 follows the rock arm 77 and thereby pulls the rod 83 in the direction of its length. This swings the gripping jaws 71 from the open position (Fig. 14) to a gripping position (Figs. 12 and 13) in which the jaws engage beneath the usual flange 105 formed on the neck ot the bottle 106.

The inward movement et the gripping jaws is limited by a stop screw 107 threaded in a lug 108 formed on one of the gripper plates 65 and arranged to engage a stop lug 109 formed on the lower end of the ineligged arm 68. By adjusting the screw 107 the jaws can be adapted to engage bottles or articles of different sizes, ',"lt' will be noted that the spring 85 serves as a safety device permitting the jaws 71 to yield in the event of any obstruction being placed in their path and also preventing undue pressure on the bottle necks. w

As the gripping device 40 is hrou' ht to position over the bottle, the stabilizing plate 90 seats on the upper end surface of the bottle, being held thereon with a yielding pressure determined by the adjustment of the springs 96. It desired, the plate 90- may be so adjusted that the stop screws 94 scat on the lugs 92 while said plate is in engagement with the bottle (see Figs. 11 and 13). lt

will be apparent that when the gripping jaws are brought into engagement with the bottle` the latter is clamped between said jaws and the stabilizing plate in a manner to securely hold it against tilting movement relative to said plate.

The gripping device takes hold of the bottle neck which protrudes above the finishing mold, just before the latter commences to open. is mehr opens the bottle is left standing on the mold bottom 110 with the upper end of the bottle held in the gripping device 40. it this time the cam rolls 43 and 73 are traveling along the dwell portion d of the cam track. After the mold has opened, the cam rolls engage an inwardly inclined portion e of the cam track, thereby permitting the arm 7 to be rocked inwardly under the influence of the spring 98 (Fig. 4), thus swinging the rock arm 38 with the gripping device upwardly and outwardly. This movement is the reverse of that which took place while the cam roll 43 was traveling on the track section a, except that the track section e does not permit inward movement of the roll 76a relative to the roll 43, and the gripping jaws are therefore held closed and lift the bottle oil the mold bottom and swing it' outwardly to the discharge position. -It is to be noted that the .initial movement of the grippingl device 4.0 after taking hold of a bottle, is in an upward direction substantially lengthwise of the axis of the bottle, thereby lifting the latter' off the mold bottom before it commences to swing outward. This initial movement may be explained by the rfact that the axis of the pivots 39 is so inclined that the movement of the rock arm 38 about such axis is at first upward and inward with respect to the bracket 37, while the movement of said bracket 37 about the inclined axis of the rock shaft 35 tends to swing the arm 38 outward. The resultant of these two movements is an initial upward movement in a direction lengthwise of the bottle axis. This direction of movement, however, gradually changes, owing in part to the change in the direction of the aXis of the pivots 39 as the latter travel around the axis of the rock shaft 35. The cam track 52 is another factor determining the rate of change in direction of movement of the gripping device. Said cam is designed to eiiect the movements above described, including rst the endwise movement of the bottle and then the outward swinging movement. lt will be noted that when the bottle is first lifted off the mold bottom it is in an inclined position in which the bottle extends outwardly and upwardly Jfrom the mold bottom. The outward swinging movement.

however, of the rock arm 38 to the point of moving backward with respect to the mold carriage at substantially the same speed as it would be moving forward if in fixed relation to the carriage. As a result, the bottle at the instant it is `released from the gripping device is practically stationary. The bottle can thus be released and permitted to drop a short distance onto a support- 112 (Fig. l) without any tendency to tip over. The cam track and other parts of the mechanisnc are so designed that the speed and direction of movement of the rock arm 38 will effect the above operation.

rlhe opening movement of the gripping jaws is controlled by a cam section g on which the cam roll 76 runs as the rock arm 38 is completing its backward movement under the control of the cam section e. As the roll 76 moves along the cam section g the spring 8G rocks the spindle 75 (Figs. 6 and t5), and through the connections heretofore described opens the jaws 7l. The spring 86 is sufficiently powerful toovercome the tension of the spring 85 (Fig. 8) while opening the jaws. It will be seen that the opening of the gripping j aws takes place while the arm 38 is swinging backward in the manner above described.

Although the above description of operation is given gas applied to a single bottle, it will be apparent that with plural molds, the plurality of bottles from each mold will be transferred and discharged simultaneously in the same manner as a single bottle. The stabilizing plate 90 is of special value in connection with plural molds, as it keeps the bottles separated, and particularly it prevents the upper bottle from swinging down and striking and marring the lower bottle. c

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of our invention.

lVhat we claim is: l. The combination of a travelling carriage and article transfer mechanism including. an article holding device, means for causing said device to take hold of an article on the i ri'age during the transfer operation, the

carriage, means for then moving said device relative to the carriage` and carrying the article to a discharging position and releasing said article, and means for causing the transfer mechanism to advance with the carmovement of said article holding device relative to the carriage at the momentof releasing the article being in a direction opposite to the direction of/'movement of the carriage, the speed of said movement relative to the carriage being substantiallyequal to the speed of movement ofthe carriage, whereby the article is substantially stationary at the instant of release. y

2. The combination of a travelling carriage and article transfer mechanism including an article holding device, means for causing said device to take hold of an article on the carriage, and means for then moving said device relative to the carriage and carrying the article to a discharging position and releasing said article, said transfer mechanism being mounted on the carriage to travel therewith, the movement of said article holding device at the moment of release of the article being in a direction substantially opposite to and at a speed substantially equal to the forward movement of the transfer mechanism with the. carriage.

The combination of a travelling carriage, an article transfer mechanism mounted on the carriage to travel therewith and adapted to engage an article on the travelling carriage and transfer it to a discharge position spaced laterally from the path of travel of the carriage, said mechanism including an article holding device, means for actuating said device to cause it to take hold of an article on the carriage, means for causing said device to advance with the carriage while taking hold of said article, means for then moving said device and article laterally relative to the carriage to said discharge position and releasing the article, and means whereby said holdin@ device is held substantially stationary or free from movement of translation while the article is being released therefrom.

Ll. The combination of a continuously travelling carriage, an article transfer mechanism mounted to travel therewith, said mechanism including a rock arm, an article gripping device carried at the outer end of said arm, means for causing said gripping device to grip an article on the carriage, means for then swinging said arm and carrying the article to a discharge position, and means for actuating the grippingdevice torelease the article during said swinging of the arm, the movement of the gripping device relative to the carriage at the moment said article is released being in a direction substantially opposite to that in which the' transfer mechanism is moving with the carriage.

5. The combination with a rotating mold carriage, of an article transfer mechanism mounted on the carriage to rotate therewith, said mechanism including a iock shaft, a rock arm attached to and extending forward from the rock shaft, an article gripping device carried on the forward end of said arm, means for causing said gripping device to grip an article on the carriage, means for then rocking said shaft and swinging said arm, gripping device and article outwardly and rearwardly, and means for actuating the gripping device to release the article during said rearward (movement.

G. An article transfer mechanism comprising a rock shaft, a bracket secured to the rock shaft, means for rocking said shaft, a

Lao

roch arm, ineens for pivetally connecting said roel.: arm to said bra/cher, lor swinging movement relative to the bracket, the anis of said swinging movement being inclined to the axis ci said roclr shaft, and an article gripping device carried by said roclr arm.

7. An article transfer mechanism comprising e rock shaft, a bracket secured to the roch: shaft, means for rocking said shaltl for pivotaily connecting n to said bracket for swinging "ve to the bracket, the axis L movement being` inclined to the anis of slid .roclr shaft, a cam arranged to control the swinging movement et the roch relative to said bracket, and an article grippe@ device carried by said roel:

movement 8. llltransfer mechanism, the combination roch shalt, means to rocksaid shaft, roel; arm, an article gripping device car-led by the roch arm, and means providin^ ,n an operating connection between the roclr arm and rock sha t by which said arm is caused to rotate Wit the roclr shalt and is similtaneoiisly given a swinging moven nient relative to the roch shaft about axis which is inclined to the exis et the rocl shaft,

9. The combination of a roch shait, sep porting member in which said shaft is our naled, means for roclring said shaft, a bracket secured to the rock shaft to rotate theren with, a frame pivotally connected to said. bracket for rotation about an finis inclined to the axis of the rocli shaft, a roclr` aini carried by said frame, an article gripping device carried by said arm, and means whereby rotation of the rock shaft causes a swinging movement oli said arm and about said inclined airis.

l0. The combination of a rocli shaft, e, supportingl member in which said shaft is journaled, means for rocking said shaft, a bracket secured to the rock shaft to rotate therewith, :traine pivotally connected to said bracket for rotation about an axis inclined to the axis of the rock shaft, a rocl arm carried by said frame, an article gripping device carried by said arm, means whereby rotation of the rock shaft causes a swinging movement of said arm and frame about said inclined anis, said last mentioned means including a cam mounted on said supporting member, and a cam roll carried by said frame and running on said cam.

l1. The combination of a rock shaft, a supporting member in which said shaft is iournaled, means for rocking said shaft, a racket secured to the rock shaft to rotate therewith, a trame pivotally connected to said bracket for rotation about an axis inclined to the axis of the rock shaft, a roclr arm carried by said frame, an article gripping device carried by said arm, means C' -v die roel whereby rotation ol' i orn said a m swinging movement article gripping' device. v

The combination oil a travelling nur carriage and an article transfer inecnei mounted to travel therewith, said eclia nism comprising a casing, a hollen f shaft extending through the casino' 57 die extendin through the roclr sbatt ref arms connected respectively to said s and Spindle, stationary earns for locking said arms and thereby rocking the shalt aispindle, a transfer arm connecled to une ror shaft, an article grippingr device mounted on the transfer arm, mechanism 'for actuating]I the gripping device for gripping and i ing an article, operating connections ber' said spindle and said actuating inecbanis" a spring connection between said rock sha or holding said shafts in a predeterininedv 'elative position While Jfree from tir, u.nce of said cams, a torsion sprinfr conncct/`V to the roclr shaft and said casing ior roclzii said shaft, and a stop to limit the rotali movement of the rock shaft in one direct' when said shaft has carriage beyond the influence of tbe c 13. The combination of a rotati article in an upwardly and outv u clined position v/tli the upper end port of the article exposed, an article trans mechanism mounted on the mold car said mechanism. comprising' a Ifirippii. vice including-.gripping jews and means causing said to engage said expo., upper end or article while the article held by the mold in said inclined positio and means for causing; said article grippii device to swing the article ironi said in clined position to an upright position and discharge the article while in said upright position.

14. The combination of a rotating mold carriage, a mold thereon arranged to hold an article in an upwardly and outwardly inclined position with the upper end poi-tion of the article exposed, an article transfer mechanism mounted on the carri age, including awtransfer arm, an article gripping;n de vice carried by said arm, means for swing ing said arm and thereby movinpr the gripping device to a position above the inclined article, means Jjor causing the grippingdcvice to grip said exposed end portion of the article while the article is held by the mold` in said inclined position, means for swinging said arm upwardly and outwardly while the article is held by and projecting downward l from said gripping device and thereby swinging said article to an upright position beyond thel mold carriage, and means for then actuating the gripping device to release the article.

15. The combination of a rotating mold carriage, a mold thereon arranged to hold an article in an upwardly and outwardly inclined position with the upper end portion of the article exposed, an article transfer mechanism mounted on the carriage, including a transfer arm, an article gripping device carried by said arm, means for swinging said arm and thereby moving the gripping device to a position above the inclined article, means for causing the gripping device to grip said exposed end portion of the article while the article is held by the mold in said inclined position, the ripping device comprising a pair of gripping jaws for engaging the article at a position below the top of the article, a stabilizing plate arranged to engage the upper surface of the article above the gripping jaws While the article is supported in the mold and co-operating with said aws to prevent swinging movement of the article relative to said jaws when the article is released from the mold, means, to swing the transfer arm in a path to swing said article to an upright position, and means for then releasing the article.

1G. The combination of a rotating mold carriage, a mold thereon arranged to hold the article in an upwardly and outwardly inclined position, article transfer mechanism mounted on the carriage and comprising an inclined rock shaft, a horizontally disposed transfer arm, operating connections between said shaft and arm at one end of the latter, an article gripping device carried at the opposite end of said arm and including means to grip said article while in said inclined position, and meansfor rocking said shaft, said connection betweenV the shaft and transfer arm including means for causing said arm to rotate with the rock shaft and simultaneously swing about an axis inclined to the rock shaft by which an upward and outward swinging movement is imparted to said arm and thearticle carried thereby is swung to an upright discharging position.

17. .An article transfer mechanism arranged for movement in a closed substantially horizontal path, said mechanism including a transfer arm, an article gripping device carried by said arm, means for swinging said arm and thereby moving the gripping device to a position above an inclined article, means for causing the ripping device to grip the adjacent end o said article and hold it in ixed relation to said arm in an inclined position in which it projects downward from the gripping device, means for swinging the transfer arm in a path such that said article is carried thereby to an upright position beyond the position at which it was first engaged by the gripping device, and means for then actuating the gripping device .to release the article.

18. An article transfer mechanism arranged for movementin a closed substantially horizontal path, said mechanism including a transfer arm, an article gripping device carried by said arm, means for swinging said arm and thereby moving the gripping device to a position above an inclined article, means for causing the gripping device to grip said article adjacent the upper end thereof, the gripping device comprising a pair of gripping jaws for engaging the article at a position below and adjacent the top of the article, a stabilizing plate arranged to engage the upper surface of the article above the gripping jaws and cooperate with said jaws in holding the article in an inclined position and reventing swinging movement of the article relative to the jaws, means to swing the transfer arm in a path by which the article is swung to an upright position, said article being held in fixed relation to said arm and depending from said jaws throughout said swinging movement of the article, and means for then releasing the article.

19. An article transfer mechanism arranged for movement in a closed substantially horizontal path, said mechanism including an inclined rock shaft, a horizontally disposed transfer arm, operating connection between said shaft and arm at one end of the latter, an article gripping device carried at the opposite end of said arm and including means to grip an article while in an inclined position, and means for rocking said shaft, said connection between the shaft and transfer arm including means for causing said arm to rotate with the rock shaft and simultaneously swing about an axis inclined to the rock shaft by which an upward and outward swinging movement is imparted to said arm and the article carried thereby is swung to an upright discharging position. i

Signed at Alton, in the county of Madisonand State of Illinois, this 25th day of November, 1929.

OLIVER C. K. HUTCHINSON. WILLARD C. GILLHAM.

pas 

